Happy Tails: Dog park gets a pupgrade
FORT BRAGG » They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but maybe you can make an old dog park look new again? The dog park at the C.V. Starr Community Center recently got a bit of a paw-lish. It was a fixer-pupper project that got high barks from local residents.
(OK, OK, we’ll stop that now.) Previously just an uneven dirt patch at the community center, the dog park is now covered in special wood chips that cushion the pooches’ paws andmake for a much nicer environment for the pets and their humans.
“The real benefit will be whenthe rain starts,” said Scott Shepley. “When the rain starts, this turned into a mud bath.”
Shepley was part of a group of locals who worked with the city and the C.V. Starr Center to upgrade the dog park, and they have plans for dog parks all along the coast said Syd Balows, the leader of the Dog Park Improvement Group— though the beautification project didn’t come quite in time for Shepley’s broken ankle, which got caught in a dog-assisted gopher hole at the park last November.
Phase 1 of “DPIG’s” plans were to grade the old patch of dirt in the large dog side of the park six inches deep, and lay down 85 yards of the wood chips. The chips are “playground quality”
and have been speciallytumbled to remove any sharp edges, Balows said.
Local businessman Gary Swanson helped the group out by donating two men for the work and some of his equipment for the grading; and the C.V. Starr Center helped coordinate hauling away nearly eight large truckloads of dirt.
Phase two will be doing the same to the other areas of the park, and after that, moving on to other dog parks along the coast that need a facelift.
“This is a step- by- step process,” explained Tom visit, Balows said. to grade and lay down chips Varga, who was also part Locals can also help out in the small dog enclosure of the project’s leadership. this weekend by joining the next door.
“We’ve done this first phase group’s rummage sale in Balows, Vargas and Sheto see how it works out and the Center’s parking lot, set pley said they would like to we really hope the commufor Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to thank both the city of Fort nity jumps of board with 3 p.m. Those who are interBragg and the C.V. Starr us.” ested in donating items to staff for their assistance
To make that goal easier, the sale can bring the items and support with the project.DPIGhasinstalledadona-byat8a.m.thatmorning, tion box at the front of the and any money raised will erri Sorkin, mom to dog park, with a suggested go toward the next step of rescue dog Stuart Little donation of $1 per dog per the process, which will be and half-poodle Leam, said she was looking forward to having the chips down when it rained too, calling it a “vast improvement” over the former dirt patch. Sorkin said she was part of the group that first established the dog park many years ago and has been coming with her dogs ever since. Even then, it was always a community project, with local businesses donating much of the supplies and labor to build the park, Sorkin said.
“Even if you don’t have a dog, it’s such a great thing,” said Pam Bell, who was there with her pup Monday morning. “It is such a great community asset, especially during COVID,” she said.
For more information about this weekend’s rummage sale, or to learnmore about the improvement group, visit their website at coastaldogparks.org, where you can donate online and find out more information about the group’s plans.
Now every dog can have its day at the dog park.